Thermocouple apparatus



Dec. 24, 1940. LAlNG I 2,225,700

THERMOCOUPLE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1937 awnsmwwmca mo wwmws mmnmm Jnventor attorney Patented Dec. 24, 1940 ,.a 1 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i a j 2,225,700 v r THERMOCOUPLE APPARATUS GordonF. Laing, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company,

Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationDecember 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,769

9 Claims.

This invention relates to thermocouple apparatus and more particularly to apparatus in which the voltage generated by a thermocouple is amplified. e

I One of the principal drawbacks to the use of a thermocouple in temperature responsive apparatus is that the electromotive force generated by the thermocouple is extremely small. This difficulty can be overcome to some extent by the use of a thermopile but the voltage still remains relatively small and the thermopile itself introduces certainadditional difiiculties. If an attempt is made to connect a thermocouple to a space discharge amplifier, the difficulty is immediately encountered thatthe voltage of a thermocoupleis so small that in order to use an amplifier having an output sufficiently large to be of practical value, it is necessary to have three or four stepsof amplification. This is often prohibitive from the standpoint of cost.

A It has been proposed to overcome this difliculty by vconnecting the thermocouple to'the input circuit'of a space discharge'amplifier through a step-up transformer, the connection between the thermocouple and the primary of the transformer being periodicallyinterrupted toproduce'a pulsating current on the primary circuit which the transformer can respond to; The difiiculty with 'such a system is that the voltage applied to the grid circuit is inherently an alternating one.

- While this difficulty can be overcome by biasing lcouple. It is sometimes desirable to have appa- "ratus controlled in accordance with the direction ofatemperature change. A thermocouple can be'made to respond to the direction of temperature change by making one of the junctions such that it is capable of much more quickly absorbing and giving up heat than the other junction. In this manner as the temperature rises, one junction is the hot junction and when the tem perature is falling the other junction is the hot junction. With the arrangementsof the prior art; it has been impossible'to detect the polarity of the current flowing through the thermocouple. An object of. the present invention is to provide an arrangement for couplinga thermocouple fthrough'a step-up transformer to a device utiv one junction which more quickly absorbs and dissipates heat than the other and in which the arrangement is 'used to control apparatus which it is desired to control according to the direction of change of temperature. J

A further object 'ofthe present invention is to provide an arrangement of the type set forth in the previous objects in which the output of the transformer is coupled to a space discharge amplifier.

A further object'of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the type set forth in the previous object in which means is provided to prevent a flow of current in the output circuit of the tube in the event of failure of the interrupterto reclose either circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for coupling a thermocouple to a space discharge amplifier through a step-up transformer and a vibrator in the input circuit in which two thermocouples areused which are alternately connected in the circuit.

Other objects of the present invention will be. apparent upon a consideration of the accompanying specification'claims, and drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a view couple arrangement applied to an oil vcontrol system;

Figure 2 is a modification thereof, and

Figure 3 is'a third form of thermocouple arrangement. I

"Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 shows one form of thermocouple arrangement of the present invention applied to an oilburner control circuit. It is to be understood that this application of the invention is merely-illustrative and isnot the only use for the present invention. Referring to Figure 1,-aportion of an oil burning furnaceis shown in the drawing and is generally indicated by the reference numeral l0. Extending into the furnace is an oil burner H having of the improved thermoburner a nozzle l2 and a motor for forcibly supplying ignition means may be of any conventional form, which usually consists of a step-up transformer and a pair of ignition terminals adjacent the outlet of the oil burner nozzle.

A thermostat is used to control the operation of the oil burner and is designated by the reference numeral l6. This thermostat is located in the space whose temperature is to control the operation of the burner and may be of any conventional construction. As shown in the drawing, it consists of a bimetallic element I! to which is secured a contact arm I8 adapted to engage with a fixed contact l9. Located adjacent the contact arm I8 is a magnet 20 which serves to impart a snap action to the movement of the contact arm I8 and to result in the necessity of a temperature differential for movement of the contact arm into and out of engagement with contact IS. The snap action prevents the formation of an are between the contact I9 and the contact arm I8 as the contact arm approaches and leaves the contact I8. The function of the magnet in making necessary a temperature differential prevents excessive starting and stopping of the motor due to a chattering of the thermostat as it approaches its contact.

A thermal safety switch is indicated by the reference numeral 2I. This safety switch is employed for the purpose of terminating the operation of the oil burner if combustion does not take place within a predetermined period of time. This thermal safety switch may be of any conventional form, one preferable form being that shown in the patent to F. S. Denison No. 1,958,081 issued May 8, 1934. As shown in the drawing, the safety switch comprises a pair of switch blades 22 and 23, the lower of which is pivotally mounted. The lower blade 23 is prevented from moving out of contact engagement with the upper blade 22 by means of bimetallic element 24 which in its cold position extends under the end of switch. blade 23. Located in proximity to the bimetal 24 is a heater 25. This heater serves to heat the bimetallic element and warp the upper end thereof towards the right. If this warping action continues sufiiciently long, the upper end of the bimetal will move out from under the lower switch blade 23 permitting the same to drop away from switch blade 22.

A relay is generally designated by the reference numeral 34. This relay comprises a relay coil 3| and a pair of switch blades 32 and 33. The switch blades 32 and 33 are adapted to co operate with fixed contacts 34 and 35. The blades 32 and 33 are normally biased out of engagement with contacts 34 and 35 but are adapted to be moved into engagement therewith by energization of the relay coil 3|.

A second relay 38 comprises a relay coil 39 and a pair of switch blades 40 and 4!. The switch blade 40 is normally biased into engagement with contact 42 and is moved upon energization of relay coil 39 into engagement with contact 43. Switch blade 40 and contacts 42 and 43 are so designed that switch blade 4!! engages contact 43 before it separates from contact 42, as indicated by the legend on the drawing. The switch blade M is biased into engagement with contact 44 and is adapted to be moved out of engagement therewith by energization of the relay coil 39.

A thermocouple 45 is located within the furnace I within the zone of combustion. This thermocouple consists of a pair of elements 46 and 4! of suitably dissimilar thermoelectric characteristics. The two elements 46 and 41 are joined at their forward end in the normal manner. At their outer end, however, these elements are joined to conductors 48 and 49 through relatively heavy joints 50 and Thus upon a temperature rise, the junction at the forward end heats up more rapidly than the outer junction with the result that this becomes the hot junction of the thermocouple. Upon a temperature fall, the outer end of the thermocouple heats up more rapidly so that this is the hot junction.

A step-up transformer is indicated by the reference numeral 52. This transformer comprises a low Voltage primary 53 and a high voltage secondary 54. The conductor 48 is connected to the upper terminal of the primary 53. The conductor 49 is connected to one terminal of a vibrator 56. This vibrator comprises a coil 51 and an armature member 53. The coil 51, as will be more apparent from the subsequent description, is connected to a commercial source of alternating current which alternates at a fixed frequency, usually 60 cycles a second. The armature 58 is accordingly moved to and from the coil 51 one hundred and twenty times a second. The armature 58 is adapted to engage two contacts 59 and 60. Contact 6!] is connected through conductor 62 to the lower terminal of primary 53.

A space discharge amplifier which may take the form of a grid controlled vacuum tube is indicated by reference numeral 64. This tube comprises the usual cathode 65, grid 66, and anode 61. The grid 66 is connected through conductor 68 and a grid biasing battery I5 to the upper terminal of the secondary 54. The cathode 65 is connected through conductors B9 and to the armature of vibrator 58 which moves into and out of engagement with contact 59. The contact 59 is connected through conductor II with the secondary winding 54. Thus the voltage applied between the grid and cathode is that due to the biasing battery plus or minus the voltage produced across the terminals of secondary 54. The application of this voltage is controlled by the contact 59 and armature 58 of the vibrator 56. The anode B1 of the vacuum tube is connected through conductor 12 to the left-hand terminal of relay coil 39. The other terminal of relay coil 39 is connected through conductor I3 to the positive terminal of a battery 14. The negative terminal of the battery is connected through conduotor 69 to the cathode 65. The anode circuit of tube 64 thus includes the battery 14 and the relay 39. The biasing battery 15 is of such value that the resultant plate current, in the absence of a potential across secondary 54, will be sufiicient to hold relay 39 in its energized position but will not move it to that position.

A step-down transformer 16 is employed for supplying power for the operation of the system. This transformer comprises a line voltage primary 11 connected to line wires 19 and 80 leading to any suitable source of power (not shown). The transformer also includes a low voltage secondary winding 18.

Operation of Figure 1 species The various elements of the system are shown in the position which they assume when the temperature to which thermostat I6 is subjected is at or slightly above the desired temperature. As the temperature falls, the contact arm I8 is moved to the left. If this temperature fall continues sufiiciently far, contact arm I8 will be moved into engagement with contact I9. When this occurs, the following circuit will be established to relay coil 3|: from the right-hand terminal of secondary 18 through conductor 8|, switch blades 23 and 22, conductor 82, bimetallic element I1, contact blade I8, contact I9, conductors 83 and 84, contact 42, switch blade '49, conductors 85 and 86, heating element 25, conductor 81, relay coil 3|, and conductor 88 to theother terminal of secondary 18. The establishment of the above traced energizing circuit to relay coil 3| causes this coil to be energized and causes switch blades 32 and 33 to be moved into engagement with contacts34 The movement of switch blade 33 into engagement with contact 35 results in the following circuit being established to the oil burner motor l3: from line wire 19 through conductor 9|, contact 35, switch blade 33, conductors 92 and 93, burner motor I3 and conductor 94 to the other line wire 89. At the same time, the following circuit is established to the ignition means I4: from line wire 19 through conductor 9|, contact 35, switch blade 33, conductors 92 and 95, contact 44, switch blade 4|, conductor 96, ignition means I4, and conductor 91.

The establishment of the above traced energizing circuits to the oil burner motor and to the ignition means results in the establishment of the conditions necessary for combustion to take place. Under normal conditions, combustion will be almost immediately established as a result of the ignition of the oil issuing from the burner nozzle. The result is that the temperature within thecombustion chamber will rise very rapidly causing the inner junction between thermocouple members 46 and 41 to be come very much hotter than the outer junction.

The result of this is that an electromotive'force is generated between the thermocouples in one son of this circuit, the vibrator 56 is constantly operated.- As soon as the electromotive Iorce is generated by the thermocouple 45in the man'- ner previously described, the periodic lnterrup tion of the circuit between the thermocouple "and the primary 53 by reason of the periodic separation of armature 58 from contact 69 will cause a pulsating current to flow through primary '53. This pulsating current results in an alternating voltagebeing generated in the secondary winding; If this alternatingvoltagewas applied to the tube 64, the resulting outputcur- 'rent' would have an alternating component and the particular direction in which the current flowed through the thermocouple 45 would have no effect upon the valve of the average value of the output current. By reason, however, of the inclusion of the armature 58 and; the eontact 59 in the'connectlons between the secondary. 54 and the grid and cathode of the vacuum tube 65, the input circuit to the vacuum tube is-interrupted each time that the circuit to the primary is interrupted; This makes it possible to impress only the positive peaks or only the negative peaks of the. alternating voltage of secondary54 upon'the'grid 66. The apparatu's is so designed and connectedthatwhen the inner junctionof thermocouple45 is the hot junction, only the positive peaks will be impressed upon the grid. -When this occurs, a very large output current flows throughthe tube the thermocouple.

the grid of the tube 64.

which results in a rather large current flowing through the relay 39. The effect of this is to cause the energization of relay coil 39 and the resultant movement of switch blades 49 and 4| out of engagement with contacts 42 and 44.

Before the blade 49 separates from contact 42, however, it moves into engagement with contact 43. The separation of switch blade 4| from secondary 18 through conductor 8|, switch blades 23 and 22, conductor 82, bimetallic element I1,

contact blade I8, contact I9, conductors 83 and I9I, contact 34, switch blade 32, conductors I92 and 85, switch blade 49, contact 43, conductor I93, relay coil 3|, and conductor 88 to the other terminal of secondary 18. It will be noted that this new holding circuit is independent of the heating element 25, being parallel thereto. After this circuit is established by the engagement of switch blade 49 with contact 43, the switch blade moves out of engagement with contact 42 thus interrupting the previously traced circuit through heating element 25. The establishment of the holding circuit terminates the heating of thethermal safety switch and thus insures that the oil burner will continue in operation.

After the combustion has proceeded for a short time, the temperature of the twojunctions of the thermocouple will be substantially the same with the result that no voltage is generated by The grid 66 under these circumstances will be at the potential maintained by biasing battery 15. As'previously explained, the bias produced by battery 15 is of such'a value as to maintain a flow of currentthro-ugh the relay coil 39 sufiicient to retain the switch blades 49 and M in their energized positions, although this flow of current is insufiicient to move the blades to their energized position. Thus so long as combustion is maintained, the relay 38 will remain energized.

Under normal conditions, the burner will continue in operation until thermostat I6 is satisfied, at which time contact arm I8 is moved out .of engagement with contact I9 with the result that relay 3| is deenergized terminating the op eration of the oil burner. The resulting cooling of, the combustion chamber will cause the junctions 59 and 5| to become the hot junctions of the thermocouple so that the current will flow through the primary winding 53 in the opposite direction to that previously discussed. The resultof this is that only the negative peaks of the voltage generated'by secondary 54 are applied to These negative peaks result in the negative bias of grid 69 being increased to the point where current no. longer flows in the outputcircuit of tube 64. The result is that relay coil 39 is deenergized and the switch 'blades lfl and 4| assume the position shown in the drawing. e

- The operation which has just been described is that which occursunder normal circumstances. If after the conditions necessary for combustion are established combustion does not take place, relay coil 39 is never pulled in with the result that heating element 25 eventually warps bimetallic element '24 to the right sufficiently rar to' permit separation of switch blades 22 and 23. After this occurs, it is impossible to restart the burner until the safety switch 2| is reset manually.

It sometimes occurs that combustion is pro-perly started but for some reason or other is in terrupted while the thermostat is still calling for heat. Under these conditions, the temperature of the combustion chamber begins to drop causing the junctions 53 and 5! to be the hot junctions of the thermocouple. The effect of this is the same as previously described. In other words, the negative bias on grid 65 is increased to the point where no current flows through relay coil 39 and the relay 38 drops out. As soon as the relay does drop out, switch blade 40 is reengaged with contact 22 to again cause heating element 25 to be energized. At the same time, switch blade 4I is moved into engagement with contact 44 to effect reenergization of the ignition means I4. If the condition producing the combustion failure is a temporary one, combustion can be reestablished by reason of the reenergization of the ignition means. If not, the system will be deenergized in the manner previously described by reason of the continued heating of the heating element 25 of the safety switch 2!.

It will be seen that with the improved thermocouple apparatus of the present invention it is possible to couple a thermocouple to a vacuum tube having sufiicient output for the operation of the control apparatus without any intermediate steps of amplification. Moreover, it will be seen that the present apparatus makes possible the use of a thermocouple in which the current is reversed depending upon the direction of the temperature change. Moreover, this is accomplished with an extremely simple arrangement.

Figure 2 species In Figure 2, a modification of the thermocouple apparatus of the present invention is shown. In this figure, only the thermocouple and its associated apparatus has been shown although it is to be understood that this apparatus is adapted to be employed in a system such as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 2, a thermocouple is generally indicated by the reference numeral IIU. This thermocouple consists of two elements III and H2 of suitably dissimilar thermoelectric characteristics. The elements are joined at II3 by means of a joint of relatively small thermal capacity. At H4 and II5 the elements III and H2 are joined to conductors H6 and III, respectively by means of joints of relatively high heat capacity.

A step-up transformer is indicated by the reference numeral I20. This transformer comprises a low voltage primary I2I and a high voltage secondary I22. The conductor II! is connected to the upper terminal of the primary I2 I. The conductor II 5 is connected through a second thermocouple I24 to the armature I25 of a vibrator I26. The vibrator I25 is similar in construction to that of the preferred species and comprises in addition to the armature I25 a coil I2! which is energized by a commercial alternating current source of power through conductors I35, I3I, and I32. The armature I25 is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with contacts I35 and I36. The thermocouple I24 is so connected as to aid the thermocouple III] when the junction I13 of thermocouple III! is the hot junction. The thermocouple I24 comsimilar thermoelectric characteristics.

prises two elements I38 and I39 of suitably dis- These two elements are joined at I40 to provide a hot junction. Associated with the thermocouple adjacent to the hot junction I 40 is an electrical heating element l4I which is connected by means of conductors I52 and I43 to the wires I3I and I32 leading to the source of power. The contact I35 of the: vibrator I26 is connected through conductor I46 to the primary winding I2I.

A space discharge amplifier which may preferably take the form of a grid controlled vacuum tube is indicated by the reference numeral I50. This tube comprises a cathode I5I, a grid I52, and an anode I53. The grid I 52 is connected through conductor 555 to one terminal of the secondary I22. The cathode I5I is connected through conductors I51, I58, I59, and I60 to the armature I25. The contact I35 which cooperates with this armature is connected through conductors Nil and I62 and battery I63 with the other terminal of secondary I22. Thus the grid and cathode are periodically. connected by the vibrator in series with the biasing battery I63 and the secondary I22. The biasing battery I22 is connected with its positive terminal to the oathode so that the effect of this battery is to bias the grid negatively. The value of this battery is such that when the voltage due to this battery is the only voltage impressed upon the grid, the grid is biased negatively so far as to prevent ilow of current in the plate circuit. In addition to the previously traced grid circuit, which is controlled by the vibrator I26, there is a permanent gridcircuit as follows: from the cathode l5! through conductors I51 and I53, resistor I66, conductor I32, battery I53, secondary E22, and conductor I56 to the grid I52. This circuit serves in the absence of any other connections between the grid and the cathode to bias the grid negatively by the voltage of battery I33, this voltage as previously explained, being suflicient to prevent plate current from flowing.

The anode I53 is connected by conductor I69 with a relay coil I'IIJ of a relay III. This relay may correspond to the relay 38 of the Figure 1 species.- Thus the relay is shown as actuating two switch blades I12 and I13 which are biased into engagement with contacts I14 and I15. The blade I12 is adapted to be moved into engagement with a contact I16 upon energization of the relay coil I10. The other terminal of the relay coil H is connected through a conductor I18 with the positive terminal of a battery I19. The negative terminal of the battery is connected through conductor I51 to the cathode II.

The battery I63 biases the grid negatively sufficiently that the voltage produced by the thermocouple II3 even when increased by the transformer I20 would not be sufi'lcient to overcome the biasing effect of battery I63 sufficiently to cause the tube to pass enough current to energize relay I'IU. Consequently, in order to partially overcome the effect of battery I63, the thermocouple I24 is provided. This thermocouple by reason of being electrically heated at its hot junction furnishes a source of constant voltage which acts in a manner to oppose the effect of battery I63. The thermocouple I24 could, if desired, be replaced by any other source of voltag which is sufliciently constant. The voltage produced by thermocouple I24 results normally in battery I63 having no more effect than the biasing battery I5 of the preferred species. In other words, the combined effects of battery I63 and thermocase, the circuit between the grid and the oath- 'fiows in the plate circuit. Thus so'long-as the vibrator is working properly, the operation is substantially thesameas in the Figure 1 species with the exception that' there is always a constant voltage in one direction produced by the thermocouple I24, which voltage overcomesin partthe effect of battery I63; As soon, however, asthe'vibrator ceases to function properly so that the armature I25 no longer makes or breaks the contacts I36, the efiect of the thermocouple I24 is no longer felt in the secondarycircuit. since in order for this constant voltage to have any effect on the secondary-circuitit is necessary for -it to 'be periodically interrupted. Thus the only voltage impressed upon the grid is that due to battery I63 and the grid becomes biased sufiiciently negatively that no current flows in the plate circuit. It will be noted that this action occurs regardless of whether the armature I25 sticks in the open position or in the closed posi-' tion. If the armature sticks in" the closed position, the voltage produced by thermocouple I24 has no efiect as previously explained. In this ode is completed through contact I35, armature I25, conductor I60, and. conductor I59; When the armature sticks in the open position then the circuit is completed through resistor I66. The resistor I66 is selected with a 'sufiiciently high impedance that ordinarily it has little effect upon the circuit if the armature is operating properly. In other words, it ofiers a sufiiciently'high impedance that the armature I25 cooperating with contact I35 still rectifies the grid voltage. As soon as the static condition is produced, however. the resistor I66 serves to bring the grid to' the potential of battery I63 with respect to the cathode I5I.

Thus it will be noted that assurance is made if the vibrator does not properly work that the apparatus will go to a safe position. This is highly desirable particularly in the temperature control art where it is imperative that safety apparatus never indicate a safe condition when such safe condition may notin fact exist.

Figure 3 species In Figure 3, a further arrangement is shown in which the secondary circuit is not rectified as in the preceding circuits but in which two thermocouples are employed. The use of a single thermocouple in conjunction with a vibrator means that for a half of each cycle no current flows in the primary circuit. By the use of two thermocouples oppositely disposed, this condition is overcome and a'very much higher amplitude is obtained in the input circuit. Moreover. the difiiculty of sparking at the vibrator contacts is eliminated in large measure.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that there are two thermocouples designated by the reference numerals I90 and I9I. These thermocouples are of conventional construction and need no further description.

' The step-up transformer is'i'ndicated by the reference numeral I92. This transformer comprises a low voltage primary I93 and a high voltage secondary I94. One terminal of thermocouple I90 is connected through conductors I96 and I91 to the primary I93. Similarly, one ter minal of thermocouple I9I is connected through conductors I98 and I9! with the sameterminal of primary I93. The other terminal of the primary is connected by a conductor 200 to the movable armatur switch blade 20I of vibrator 203. This vibrator comprises in addition to the armature switch blade 20I a vibrator coil 204. This vibrator coil is connected through conductors 205 and 206 to a suitable source of power (not shown). The vibrator blade 20I is adapted to move alternately into engagement with contacts 20B and 209. The adjacent terminals or thermocouples I90 and I9I are connected by con ductors 2I0 and 2 to contacts 208 and 209, respectively.

A space discharge amplifier is indicated by the reference numerals 2I5. This amplifier may be of any conventional form such as an ordinary grid control vacuum tube. The amplifier is shown as comprising the usual cathode 2I6, the grid 2H, and th anode 2I8. The cathode is connected by conductors 2I9 and 220 to the lower terminal of secondary I94. The grid is connected through conductor 22I, battery 222, and conductor 223 to the other terminal of secondary I94. Battery 222 is for the purpose of biasing the grid suiiiciently negative that the tube passes current only when the positive peaks of the pulsating voltage produced through the cooperative action of thermocouples I90 and I9I and transformer I92 are impressed on the grid. In other words, the battery 222 causes the tube to operate as a class B amplifier.

A relay 225 is operated by the output tube 2 I5.

This relay comprises a relay coil 226 and a plurality of switch blades 22! and 228 which selectively cooperate with contacts 229, 230, and 23L It is to be understood that any desired arrangement of contacts and switch blades may be used. The anode 2I8 is connected to one terminal of the relay coil 226 through a conductor 232. The other terminal of the relay coil 226 is connected through a conductor 233 to the positive terminal of a battery 234. The negative terminal of the battery 234 is connected through conductors 235 and 2I9 to the cathode 2I6. The battery 236 performs the usual function of impressing a voltage between the anode and the cathode.

When the vibrator blade 20I is in the position shown in the drawing in engagement with contact 209, the output of thermocouple I90.flows through the secondary I93. When the vibrator blade moves down to contact 208, the current from thermocouple I90 to the'primary I93 is interrupted and current flow in the same direction from thermocouple I9I through primary I93 results. Thus with the use of the two thermocouples a series of impulses in the same direction flows through the primary I 93. The result is that there are no half cycles in which no current flows as in the case where only one thermocouple is used. The result is that a very much larger secondary current is produced and consequently a vacuum tube of much larger output may be used. The arrangement of Figure3 is, moreover, relatively free from sparking inasmuch as almost immediately after the blade 20I leaves the contact 209 it is moved into engagement with contact 208 whereupon a connection is made which is in eifect parallel with the air gap between blade 20I and the contact 209. Thus the voltage which should ordinarily cause a current to flow across this air gap is absorbed in the circuit formed by the closure of blade 20| with contact 203. A similar action occurs upon a reverse movement of blade 20!. Thus the difiiculty previously encountered with devices of this type due to sparking is to a large extent eliminated.

It will be seen that I have provided a new and novel thermocouple device which eliminates the objections of the prior art devices in an extremely simple and effective manner. While I have shown certain specific embodiments of my invention for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the invention is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a thermocouple having one junction capable of readily absorbing and giving up heat and a second junction capable of only slowly absorbing and giving up heat, apparatus to be operated in accordance with the direction of temperature change, a step-up transformer comprising primary and secondary windings, means for controlling said apparatus in accordance with the voltage across said secondary winding, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary o f said transformer, and means for periodically interrupting said circuit connections and for simultaneously interrupting the circuit of said secondary winding.

2. In combination, a thermocouple having one junction cap-able of readily absorbing and giving up heat and a second junction capable of only slowly absorbing and giving up heat, apparatus to be operated in accordance with the direction of temperature change, a step-up transformer comprising primary and secondary windings, means for controlling said apparatus in accordance with the voltage across said secondary winding, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary of said transformer, and means for periodically interrupting said circuit connections and for rectifying the output of said secondary winding.

3. In combination, a thermocouple having one junction capable of readily absorbing and giving up heat and a second junction capable of only slowly absorbing and giving up heat, apparatus to be operated in accordance with the direction of temperature change, a space discharge amplifier, a step-up transformer comprising primary and secondary windings, means for controlling said apparatus in accordance with the output of said amplifier, an input circuit for said amplifier, means including aid secondary winding for iIn pressing a voltage on said input circuit, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary of said transformer, and means for periodically interrupting said circuit connections between said thermocouple and said primary winding and for simultaneously interrupting the circuit of said secondary winding.

4. In combination, a thermocouple having one junction capable of readily absorbing and giving up heat and a second junction capable of only slowly absorbing and giving up heat, apparatus to be operated in accordance with the direction of temperature change, a step-up transformer comprising primary and secondary windings, means for controlling said apparatus in accordance with the voltage across said secondary winding, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary of said transformer, a vibrator for simultaneously and periodically interrupting the circuit connections between the thermocouple and the primary of the transformer and the circuit of said secondary winding.

5. In combination, a thermocouple having one junction capable of readily absorbing and giving up heat and a second junction capable of only slowly absorbing and giving up heat, apparatus to be operated in accordance with the direction of temperature change, a space discharge amplifier, a step-up transformer comprising primary and secondary windings, means for controlling said apparatus in accordance with the output of said amplifier, an input circuit for said amplifier, means including said secondary winding for impressing a voltage on said input circuit, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary of said transformer, means for periodically interrupting said circuit connections between said thermocouple and said primary Winding and for simultaneously interrupting the circuit of said secondary winding, and biasing means effective when said interrupting means is operative to cause said amplifier to have an appreciable output current even when no potential is generated by the thermocouple, said biasing means being effective in the event of a failure of said interrupting means to apply a voltage to the input circuit of said amplifier such that no current flows in the output circuit thereof.

6. In combination, a thermocouple, apparatus to be operated in accordance with the temperature to which said thermocouple is subjected, a space discharge amplifier, a step-up transformer comprising primary and secondary windings, means for controlling said apparatus in accordance with the output of said amplifier, an input circuit for said amplifier, means including said secondary winding for impressing a voltage on said input circuit, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary of said transformer, means for periodically interrupting said circuit connections between said thermocouple and said primary winding and for simultaneously interrupting the circuit of said secondary winding, and biasing means effective when said interrupting means is operative to cause said amplifier to have an appreciable output current even when no potential is generated by the thermocouple, said biasing means being effective in the event of a failure of said interrupting means to apply a voltage to the input circuit of said amplifier such that no current flows in the output circuit thereof.

7. In combination, a grid controlled space discharge amplifier, a source of relatively small direct current control voltage, a step-up transformer having a primary and a secondary, interrupting means for periodically making and breaking a circuit, a connection between the secondary of said transformer and the grid circuit of said amplifier, means associated with said grid circuit and tending to bias the grid to the cutoiT voltage of the amplifier, means connecting said source of direct current control voltage to the primary of' said transformer through said interrupting means, and further biasing means connected to the primary of said transformer through said interrupting means and of such polarity and magnitude that when amplified through the cooperative action of said interrupting means and said transformer, it overcomes the biasing voltage in the grid circuit sufficiently to enable the relativelysmall control voltage to control the operation of the amplifier, whereby the biasing voltagein the grid circuit is able to cause the grid bias to assume'the cut-off voltage only upon failure of said interrupter.

ing said thermocouple to the primary of said transformer through said interrupting means,v

and further biasing means connected to the primary of said transformer through said interrupting means and of such polarity and magnitude that when amplified through the cooperative action of said interrupting means and said transformer, it overcomes the biasing voltage in the grid circuit sufliciently to enable the thermocouple to control the operation of the amplifier, whereby the biasing voltage in the grid circuit is able to cause the grid bias to assume the cut-off voltage only upon failure of said interrupter.

9. In combination, a thermocouple having one junction capable of readily absorbing and giving up heat and a second junction capable ofonly slowly absorbing and giving up heat, electromagnetic apparatus movable between energized.

and deenergized positions, a space discharge amplifier, a step-up transformer comprisingprimary and secondary windings, means for controlling the energization of said electromagnetic 'apparatus in accordance with the output of said am plifier, an input circuit for said amplifier, means including said secondary winding and a biasing voltage for impressing a voltage on said input circuit, circuit connections between said thermocouple and the primary of said transformer, and

means for periodically interrupting said circuit connections between said thermocouple and said primary winding and for simultaneously interrupting the circuit of said secondary winding,

the value of said biasing voltage being such that when said thermocouple is generating no voltage the output current of said space discharge device is sufficient to cause said electromagnetic apparatus to be held in energized positionbut insufiicient to cause said apparatus to move to energized position.

GORDON F. LAING. 

